Knowledge & Expertise

Liz was a director of Tribal's regeneration practice between 2003 and June 2009. Prior to that, she directed DTZ Pieda's regeneration consultancy in Scotland. In total, she worked for 15 years for DTZ Pieda and its predecessor, the respected independent consultancy Pieda. She now works as a freelance consultant, frequently in collaboration with former colleagues Peter Wood and Edith McDowall at Optimal Economics.

Liz has skills in several key urban policy areas - economics, regeneration and planning. An economist and town planner, her planning interests include the modernisation of the planning system and the delivery of affordable housing through the planning system. She has advised local authorities in England and in Scotland extensively on development viability and affordable housing viability issues. Her recent work has included a series of studies with Optimal Economics for the Building Standards Division of the Scottish Government, reviewing the efficiency and effectivenss of the current systems for ensuring compliance with building standards

Her other interests are in regeneration of both people and place. She has directed a number of major public policy evaluation and research assignments, including published studies on measures to improve the processing of major planning applications, land supply for affordable housing and best practice in the set up of URCs in Scotland. In 2010, she co-authored a major study on Planning Performance Agreements for CLG.

Her recent work has included assessments of the economic benefits of a range of projects, from tourism projects to major transport infrastructure. She has appeared as an expert witness at public inquiries on economic impact and regeneration benefit issues. She is a member of the Scottish Committee of Shelter.